The present invention relates to electronic maintenance support (EMS) technology and more particularly to computerized work stations employed at customer, distributor or manufacturer locations to provide electronic support for the maintenance and repair of manufactured products or systems.
With increasing application of digital and electronic technology to electronic product maintenance support, better management of product use can be achieved through higher product/system availability, more economic and more efficient control over product/system maintenance and repairs, and more highly informed maintenance/repair decision making.
In an article entitled "Ordering Parts Via Video-disc and Computer" in the June 1984, issue of EITV magazine, there is described a parts ordering system that forms a basic element of an electronic product maintenance support system. As described there, that system employs a screen that displays text information and a second screen that displays graphic illustrations of the assemblies, subassemblies and components of a system or product supplied by a manufacturer to a user. The product, for example, may be a power plant turbine supplied to an electric utility company, it may be a transit car supplied to a public transit authority, or it may be an automobile supplied to an end user.
The general idea applied in the EMS work station is that product parts information normally made available by the manufacturer in a paper catalog, is made available through electronic displays such so that the information is more accessible and more usefully presented. The graphic screen is operated to show the product configuration in hierarchical order from the general to the most detailed level. Through coordinated control, the text screen always shows text material related to the particular product parts or assemblies shown on the graphic screen.
A laser disk is employed as the storage medium for the product graphics. A programmed computer system controls the laser disc and data memories to display graphic and text information on the two screens according to the level of product information selected for display. Typically, the work station operator may scroll through the product graphics and text in hierarchical order as a search is made for the part or parts that may be needed for a repair or for a scheduled maintenance. Once the part or parts are identified, an order can be entered and submitted through a communication link with the supplier's purchasing office.
To enhance EMS work stations like the integrated parts maintenance station described in the EITV article, the data structures and the programming used with the data structures in the operation of the work station may be improved to provide better functionality from which maintenance and repair decisions can be made by the user. Better functionality can be achieved through better organization of data structures and through better programmed coordination and sequencing and/or control of work station hardware and the work station data base.
Thus, it is desirable that text and graphic displays be structured, sequenced and interrelated to facilitate better parts identification and better parts procurement operations and generally to facilitate better management decision making. The present invention is accordingly directed to achieving improvements in EMS work stations to realize these ends.